NAMCP Medical Directors Institute Releases New Dossier TemplatesThe NAMCP Medical Directors Institute has simultaneously released the NAMCP Medical Technologies Dossier Template and the NAMCP Medical Diagnostics Dossier Template, which provide medical directors and manufacturers with a dossier template formats for either medical devices or diagnostics that accounts for evidence-based development approaches and unique aspects of each of these technology types (instead of having to attempt to follow drug-based formats that are often not ideal for these types of health technologies). NAMCP developed this format at the request of its membership because a consistent format for presenting information about medical devices and diagnostics hasn't been made available to the managed care community.

Study: Love of coffee at least partly geneticReutersNeed that cup of joe to get going in the morning? Or avoid it because java tends to make you strung out? Either way, the reasons may be written in your genes.
A new analysis of tens of thousands of human genomes identified six new genetic variants associated with habitual coffee drinking that may help explain why individuals respond differently to coffee.

Genetic testing for Alzheimer's — without revealing the resultsThe Wall Street JournalDoctors are devising new ways to shield patients from information about their odds for disease as genetic testing becomes more common in research, fertility treatment and other areas.
Svetlana Rechitsky and her colleagues at Reproductive Genetic Innovations, a Northbrook, Ill., genetics lab for infertility clinics, took blood samples from a patient undergoing in vitro fertilization and cheek swabs from the patient’s parents.

How genes influence children's success in schoolThe Washington PostThe idea that children can inherit the ability to get good results at school can spark heated debate. But, put simply, all this means is that children differ in how easy and enjoyable they find learning and that these differences are to a large extent explained by differences in their genes, rather than differences between schools or teachers.

Measure, Monitor Immunoglobulin Treatment OutcomesBioFeedback for immunoglobulin is a health outcomes reporting program that provides clinical feedback on the use of immunoglobulin in autoimmune-related disorders. Physicians and medical directors can now deploy clinical interventions when they have the greatest impact on healthcare quality and costs.

In hopes of fixing faulty genes, 1 scientist starts with the basicsNPRJoe Palca writes: Whether they admit it or not, many scientists secretly hope to get a call in October informing them they've won a Nobel Prize. But I've talked to a lot of Nobel laureates, and they are unanimous on one point: None of them pursued a research topic with the intention of winning the prize.
That's certainly true for Jennifer Doudna. She hasn't won a Nobel Prize, but many are whispering that she's in line to win one for her work on something called CRISPR/Cas9 — a tool for editing genes.

Personalized medicine vs ObamacareForbesPersonalized medicine recognizes that each of us may be different from every other individual. Where those differences are discovered, it seeks unique therapies. What I call “cookbook medicine” urges doctors to treat all patients with similar symptoms the same way. It implicitly assumes we are all alike.

Stem cells allow nearly blind patients to seeTIMEIn a report published in the journal Lancet, scientists led by Dr. Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer at Advanced Cell Technology, provide the first evidence that stem cells from human embryos can be a safe and effective source of therapies for two types of eye diseases — age-related macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss in people over age 60, and Stargardt’s macular dystrophy, a rarer, inherited condition that can leave patients legally blind and only able to sense hand motions.

InSightec - World Leader in MRgFUSMRgFUS is being used in clinics across America to treat uterine fibroids and pain palliation for metastatic bone tumors. It’s a completely non-invasive procedure performed on an outpatient basis where patients report an improvement in QoL within days, not weeks. Discover InSightec now.

One MS patient's 'starting line' for stem cell therapyFox NewsRichard M. Cohen writes: I am 1 of 20 struggling every day with multiple sclerosis to be included in an innovative, phase one stem cell clinical trial at the Tisch MS Research Center of New York. Now there’s a mouthful. Please let me explain. Many of us read tidbits about cell therapy and think it simply is space-age medicine that will be launched in the future.

How safe are human embryonic stem cell transplants?Medical News TodaySince 1981, when pluripotential cell cultures were first derived, human embryonic stem cells have been considered to be a potential source of cells to treat diseases caused by tissue loss or dysfunction.
However, scientists were concerned that the self-renewing abilities of these cells could lead to tumor development or other problems.

Mobile health, medical technology race to assist in combating EbolaMedCity NewsWhile the medical world races to treat Ebola, with vaccines and treatments being developed as quickly as possible, mobile technology and digital health could likewise go a long way in combating the virus.
Ever since Liberian national Thomas Eric Duncan became the first person in the U.S. to die from complications related to the virus in a Dallas Hospital, spreading it to a nurse and possibly other employees, concern has been mounting, particularly among front-line healthcare workers who contend many hospitals are ill-equipped to deal with the potential threat.

Why your medical office needs up-to-date technologyEntrepreneurMedical offices are notoriously known for being slow at adopting new technology.
There are a number of reasons for this: Doctors don’t have time to learn new systems and tight budgets prevent them from buying new software and hardware. It’s also a business in which personal, face-to-face relationships are important.

Medical robotics: Would you trust a robot with a scalpel?The GuardianDriverless cars? Google has already wheeled one out. Robo-cops? Prototypes are on the scene. But how many people would want to go under the knife of a robo-surgeon? They can improve precision in surgery making it less invasive and speeding recovery; and in palliative care monitor vital signs and improve quality of life. The challenge now is to win over the patients.

Scientists identify more than 400 genes that influence heightMedical News TodayIn what is the largest genome-wide association study so far, an international research team has found more than 400 genes that influence height — nearly doubling the number of height-related genes identified in previous research.

FDA approves new hepatitis C drug, HarvoniKaiser Health NewsInsurers and patients are decrying the cost for the new drug, nearly $95,000 for a 12-week course of treatment, which is more expensive than Gilead's other hepatitis C drug, Sovaldi. But unlike some hepatitis C treatments, Harvoni can be taken without injections usually given to hepatitis C patients.

The financial highs and lows of Pioneer ACOsFierceHealthcareThe trail blazed by Pioneer accountable care organizations is bumpier for some ACOs than for others, according to financial data released by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Of the 32 original Pioneer ACOs, 18 reported gross savings in the first year.

Experts say success of ACOs hinges on patient engagementU.S. News & World ReportModerator Michael Morella introduced the session on accountable care organizations by saying that they are often described as “Experimental, works in progress ... I think we’re all probably learning as we go.” There are currently 350 ACOs serving millions of Americans. The idea behind them is to provide better quality care at a lower cost, in a system that makes the healthcare system accountable for patient outcomes.

Remember when Obamacare would stop health insurers from canceling policies?ForbesPresident Barack Obama’s now-discredited assertion that “if you like your policy, you can keep it” has overshadowed another bogus promise: that his healthcare reform law would stop health insurers from canceling policies.
The difference between the two failed promises is that the first one was meant to reassure Americans who liked their health coverage that nothing in Obamacare would force them to lose it.

Experts: Ebola transmission low, but risk higher for healthcare workersFox NewsAfter a nurse who cared for the Ebola victim in Dallas tested positive for the disease, questions have arisen as to the protection and training of healthcare workers.
Unlike the nursing assistant in Spain who reportedly became infected after touching her face with her protective glove, the Texas healthcare worker — who is said to have worn full personal protective equipment — has said she doesn’t know how she contracted the disease.

FAST FACTS"The largest waterborne disease outbreak in United States history occurred in 1993 in Milwaukee when over 400,000 people became ill with diarrhea when the parasite Cryptosporidium was found in the city's drinking water supply."

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